Symbols in Revelation

[MissKate13]

Revelation 1:1
The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John,…”

Would you agree that John’s revelation was given by signs or symbols?

Would the Jews in the first century have understood what those symbols represented? How would they know?

Why do you think Revelation was written with symbols?

How can we know today what these symbols mean?

Would anyone be open to discussing the meaning of the symbols in Revelation 4, and then perhaps the symbols in other chapters later?

[Eddie Ramos]

Revelation 1:1
The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John,…”

Would you agree that John’s revelation was given by signs or symbols?

Would the Jews in the first century have understood what those symbols represented? How would they know?

Why do you think Revelation was written with symbols?

How can we know today what these symbols mean?

Would anyone be open to discussing the meaning of the symbols in Revelation 4, and then perhaps the symbols in other chapters later?

Not just the book of Revelation, but the Bible as a whole was written in parables (in one form or another). Parables are God's way of concealing spiritual truth within his Word. Truth which is reserved for those who have the Spirit of God within them to discern and to be fed thereby.

Proverbs 25:2 (KJV 1900)

2  It is the glory of God to conceal a thing (dāḇār)(A WORD):
But the honour of kings is to search out a matter (dāḇār)(A WORD).


Matthew 13:10–13 (KJV 1900)
10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? 11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them (that are without) it is not given. 12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. 13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

Parables require interpretations which come by comparing spiritual with spiritual. Most believe that the Bible is written plainly for all to understand, yet that belief contradicts the Bible.

1 Corinthians 2:12–14 (KJV 1900)
Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. 13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

This applies to the Word of God as a whole. The parables contained in the book of Revelation are more difficult to interpret because this information was sealed until the time of the end.

Revelation 5:1–5 (KJV 1900)
And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals. 2 And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? 3 And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. 4 And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. 5 And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.

The Bible equates the opening up of seals with understanding. The opposite is also true. If a book is sealed up, then it means that God has not allowed us to understand something yet because the time for understanding that information had not come yet.

Daniel 12:4 (KJV 1900)
But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.

Daniel 12:8–10 (KJV 1900)
8 And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? 9 And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. 10 Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.

Now that we have entered the time of the end, God has opened up the seals and revealed much information from his word. Information that could have never before been known by any other student of the Bible. So, to try and put yourself in the shoes of 1st century Jews is a mistake because this information was not for them to understand in the first place. It was for those living in the time of the end.

[kjw47]

Revelation 1:1
The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John,…”

Would you agree that John’s revelation was given by signs or symbols?

Would the Jews in the first century have understood what those symbols represented? How would they know?

Why do you think Revelation was written with symbols?

How can we know today what these symbols mean?

Would anyone be open to discussing the meaning of the symbols in Revelation 4, and then perhaps the symbols in other chapters later?

Rev was written in symbols, so that satan and his angels remained in spiritual darkness, as well as mortals. Daniel has many keys to unlocking Revelation. But that books truths were sealed up until these last days. ( Dan 12:4) but through the teachers that have Jesus, those truths were revealed at the proper time( Matt 24:45) so that truth has become abundant. Yet it is rejected by most. And the excuse is because it hasn't been taught all through the centuries. NONE knew those truths until these last days, so those men are not worth listening to. They refuse to accept true light.
Only the teachers appointed by Jesus have the truth on the symbols in revelation. They teach them to their flock.

[myth-one.com]

Why do you think Revelation was written with symbols?

Probably the same reason that Jesus always spoke in public using parables -- so that they would not understand:

Matthew 13
10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?

11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.

13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.